ProblemA message can be delivered correctly while showing your email as the sender. This setting changes the origin of new conversations; it does not itself fix connectivity or delivery failures.

iPhone sends messages from email instead of phone number

Check which address starts your iMessage conversations. Choose your phone number and start a new conversation if the previous one began from email.

Try this first

1 quick checks · ~3 min

Choose your number for new conversationsUse your own number available in settings.

Step-by-step solutions

Choose your number for new conversations

Estimated time: 3 min
Easy
Low risk

Use your own number available in settings.

Select the phone number you want to use instead of the email. On versions with a different menu layout, find Messages in Settings.
1. Settings
2. Apps
3. Messages
4. Send & Receive
5. Start New Conversations From
If the existing conversation started from email, begin a new one with the same recipient to use the number. Keep the old history; there is no need to delete it.
If the number is missing or cannot be selected, do not choose someone else’s number or repeatedly sign out to force it. Check its setup with Apple.

Sources:

Apple Support

Next step

Still not working?

If your number is unavailable in Send & Receive, contact Apple about its setup. If the sender is correct but messages do not arrive, follow the sending and receiving guide; do not share credentials.

Sources

Documentation behind this guide. Editorial recommendations are identified separately.

Apple SupportOfficialAdd or remove your phone number in Messages or FaceTime

Source review: September 11, 2026. A documentation review, not a physical hardware test.